Tuesday, December 15, 2009

A New Challenge

Long before I ran ultras I was a bicycle tourist. My wife and I would routinely take off every summer for a 10-week bike trip somewhere or other in the US or Canada. In the early '90's we went across the US twice and in the summer of 1994 we rode from Bend, OR to Fairbanks, AK. Then, before it was too late, we quit our jobs and spent 18 months biking around the world in 1995-96.

So, fast-forward to last month when we were in Eugene for my "Epic Failure" at the 5 minute mile. The positive by-product of the whole ordeal was that we got to spend a fun night at Laurie and Craig's house catching up with friends and enjoying the spoils of the day. On that evening Shelly, my wife, got to talking to MonkeyBoy (aka Scott Wolfe) about bikes. Well, it so happens that MonkeyBoy is, among other things, a frame builder in Eugene and Shelly and he spent an hour talking about frame geometry, fit, and all things bikes. Anyway, Shelly has never found a bike that really fit her so on the way home we casually discussed if it might be worth having Scott build something for her.

Well, tonight the gauntlet was laid! My good friend and pacer MonkeyBoy has officially offered to build Shelly a custom frame if I beat my 2007 Western States time of 17:20 in the 2010 event. As if the 10-year bet was not enough reason for motivation now I have another one. Thanks brother! And, I am looking forward to training together later this spring.

7 comments:

Bryon Powell said...

AJW, I know you've got a 2:10 California Street in ya. Just remember, you're lighter and faster after you puke. Give me another 20%!

Gary Robbins said...

I spent a year touring through Central America. I always thought that the definition of freedom should have a pic of someone on a touring bike in an unknown foreign location.
Don't get faster, it's already hard enough to try n keep up!!
GR

Craig Thornley said...

Why wouldn't you try to better your PR from the 2005 race? Seems kinda arbitrary to pick your 2007 time.

Olga said...

May be one day you tell us a story about this whole biking around the country and the world? Sounds fascinating.

AJW said...

Craig,

The reason we chose the 2007 time is that it was set on the current course which is much more difficult than the 2005 course. That said, maybe MonkeyBoy would make us two bikes if I ran 17:06?

Craig Thornley said...

OK that makes some sense, I guess, but it sure seems like an easy goal for you, you being the great 100 miler that you are. Maybe he'd make your whole family custom bikes if you break 16:45? Gotta go for it, man. 9:45am at Robinson would set you up well. You're the best!

Ted Nunes said...
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